A childbirth preparation course helps you to prepare upcoming birth as well as the time afterwards. In the course, you will get detailed information about the birth process, about birthing positions, about breathing techniques, and about pain management. You can also ask all the questions you have about pregnancy, birth and the period after the birth. This will make you feel more confident and less anxious. Perhaps there is someone close to you who will be with you during the birth. Then it is good if they are also present at the birth preparation course. This way they can better support you during the delivery. Birth preparation courses are also a good opportunity to meet other parents-to-be and to exchange ideas with them.
Free of charge for pregnant people and often for companions as well
A childbirth preparation course lasts 14 hours. Your health insurance will pay for it. Most of the time the course is also free of charge for your partner. However, you should always ask your health insurance company beforehand whether this is the case. Maybe you've taken a childbirth preparation course before, so you don't want to spend all 14 hours there. Then you can use the remaining hours for other courses, for example a fitness course for pregnant people.
What are the courses about?
Childbirth preparation courses can vary slightly in content. However, the aim is always to provide you with comprehensive information about pregnancy and childbirth and to allay any fears you may have. You will learn about the different functions of your organs and hormones during childbirth. You will get information about the birth process, birthing positions, breathing and pain management. You will also learn which interventions may be necessary during childbirth, for example induction of labour or c-section. In many courses, participants are given the opportunity to visit a delivery room or a maternity room. Having an idea of what such spaces are like may make it easier to decide on a birthplace. Sometimes a film of a delivery is shown in the courses so that parents-to-be can get a realistic picture of it.
Techniques that help during childbirth
In a childbirth preparation course you practice how to release fears and cramps during birth with the help of relaxation techniques and concentration exercises. You will also learn how the postpartum period usually goes and what you can do to help your body recover well from childbirth. Many courses also discuss how best to hold, change and care for your baby. If someone is going to accompany you during your delivery, they will find out how best to support you during the birth. Of course, they can also ask questions that are on their mind.
How do I find a childbirth preparation course?
There are many organisations and professionals who offer childbirth preparation courses. In addition to midwives, these include gynaecologists, physiotherapists, family education centres, public health offices and adult education centres. The best thing to do is to ask one of these places directly. They can tell you where and when the classes are and how to register. Childbirth preparation courses are usually led by midwives or physiotherapists. Courses often take place in small groups, either on a weekend or once a week over several weeks. There are also different course formats, namely courses for pregnant people, courses for pregnant people and their partners, and courses for partners or other birth companions only.
When should I book and start the course?
A good time to start or visit a class is from the 28th week of pregnancy on. By then you'll be used to being pregnant and birth won't be too far away. However, it is best to start looking for a suitable course as early as the third or fourth month of pregnancy. Because these courses usually book up quickly. Meanwhile, there are also childbirth preparation courses that are purely online events. This has the advantage that you don't always have to go somewhere for the course. However, personal contact, which is particularly important to many pregnant people, is then missing.
